School fundraisers can seem like a daunting task for organizational leaders. There is a lot of planning, organizing and communication that goes into making a successful fundraiser. Without these three things even the best fundraising idea can flop. Here are some tips and tricks that we at Rada Cutlery have found help people hold a successful fundraiser.

1. Know your goal and share it. Before you begin your school fundraiser decide on a goal you want to achieve. Then share that goal with your customers if they know the money is going to a worthy cause they may be more generous.

2. Know your product. Find out some background information on the products you are selling so you can answer any potential questions the customers may have. Rada Cutlery is one hundred percent made in theUSAand this is a selling point consumers almost always find attractive.

3. Decide on the payment method and stress it to the students selling. There is nothing worse than scrambling to collect money at the last minute. Avoid this with deciding on a payment method and providing envelopes at the time when your group would like the money collected. For example Rada Mfg. Co. suggests students collect the money at the time the sale is made.

4. Define a start and end date. Before you begin your fundraiser clearly define a start and end date. The average length for school fundraising we see at Rada is usually about two or three weeks.

5. Add a competitive edge. Sometimes kids need a little extra motivation or incentive. Adding a prize can really spark an interest with students. Having the winning grade get a pizza party or the top seller receive some sort of prize will help get students ready to sell.

6. Customer service. Before the sellers for your school fundraising begin selling you may consider having a brief meeting on the importance of customer service. If a customer is happy with the product and the person who sold it they are more likely to become a repeat customer.

7. Be realistic. For most school fundraisers it is the students that are selling the products. Although the funds raised will benefit them you need to remember this is not a full-time job so being realistic about the goals you set is very important.

8. Have an extra volunteer or two when the products arrive. Things can get chaotic. Rada Mfg. Co. offers a sorted order option on orders over $1,000. This can be a HUGE time saver because the orders are sorted by student or the person who sold them.

9. Advertise your fundraiser. Let people know this is happening. Make posters or flyers and hang them up around your community with a phone number of the person organizing your fundraiser. That way you can reach a larger number of people in your community. Utilize social media. It’s immediate, quick and free. If your school has a Twitter or Facebook page make a post or a tweet. School newsletters are also a great way to announce your fundraiser.

10. Know your fundraising opportunities. Take advantage of being able to sell to out of town friends and family. Rada Cutlery offers an online ordering option so you are not limited to selling to people in your community.

11. Provide good value for your supporters. Most people are willing to support good fundraising causes. However, they do not want to feel taken advantage through paying too much for mediocre product. If possible, work directly with the manufacturer because every middleman increases the cost for the end user. Schools who sell Rada Cutlery work directly with the factory – the model we have used since we began helping fundraising groups in 1948.

If your school is interested in using Rada Cutlery as their school’s fundraiser or if you want to learn more about your group can earn 40% profit, request a free fundraising information packet.

Thank You!

The employees of Rada Mfg. Co. appreciate our customers! Our mission is to provide you the best value in kitchen knives for your dollar. We are proud that so many people choose to use Rada Cutlery in their kitchens!